CPI(M) seeks Jyoti Basu’s services in countering Trinamool

Shaken by the disastrous showing in successive elections since the Lok Sabha poll, the CPI(M) on Sunday fell back on services of nonagenarian Jyoti Basu who today appealed for support to the Leftists, accusing the Trinamool Congress of unleashing violence together with Maoists.

Just nine days away from the crucial by-elections to 10 Assembly seats in the state, Mr. Basu on Sunday issued a statement saying, “Our result in the last Lok Sabha election was poor. Some of our sympathisers and friends had voted against us. It is not their fault. We could not take our viewpoints properly to the people. There were some mistakes on the part of the CPI(M).”

Claiming the state had slipped into a dangerous situation since the last Lok Sabha poll, the CPI(M) patriarch particularly requested Congress supporters to come forward in re-establishing peace in the state.

“I am specially requesting you to come forward for peace, development and discipline and support the Leftists.”

“Everyday our workers are getting killed. Common people, police personnel, doctors, nurses are also slain. Our party office is burnt. Trinamool Congress and Maoists are doing this together. They are taking the law into their own hand.”

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on the other hand countered the CPI(M)’s allegation of her party’s Maoist link, alleging the CPI(M) and the Maoists are “both sides of the same coin”.

The former chief minister particularly appealed to the Congress supporters to come forward in re-establishing peace in the state. “I am specially requesting you to come forward for peace, development and discipline and support the Leftists“.

He reminded them of the Left parties’ support to the previous UPA government. “We had provided unconditional support to the Congress in the interest of the country and to fight communalism.”

He said the state had been overtaken by a dangerous situation after the Lok Sabha elections.

The Opposition had given many promises, but could not fulfil any of them. Prices of essential commodities were skyrocketing due to Central policies, he said.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had told a public meeting last Saturday that the Trinamool Congress was working with the Maoists to finish the Left Front, he recalled.

“They think they would be able to dislodge the Left Front government by joining hands with the Maoists. We will unmask the Trinamool and the Maoists. We take up the challenge,” he had said.